Student FAQs

We know coming to high school can be a bit anxiety-provoking and you may have a number of questions. While course selection may seem like a complicated process with lots of choices, it is not. We will help you and your student build the 9th grade schedule in a step-by-step method during the 8th Grade Course Selection Night in February. In the meantime, we are offering this list, though not exhaustive, of Frequently Asked Questions.

When do I register for classes at Lynbrook?

As an incoming ninth grader, when you establish residency within Lynbrook High School attendance area you will be given a “Welcome to Lynbrook” packet. This packet will include information and an invitation to attend one of our three Course Selection Nights. At the Course Selection Night, all course offerings will be explained and students (with their parents) will register for classes

The Course Selection Guide is updated in the first few weeks of February. You can check the LHS website at the end of February for the most up-to-date guide. Year to year, there are very few changes.

What does it mean to establish residency?

In late January, a parent of every 8th & 10th grader within the Lynbrook attendance area must come to the Lynbrook High School Library with the original and copies of the required documents in order to establish that you do live within the Lynbrook attendance area. If you cannot attend Residency Day, you must register at the Fremont Union High School District office. You must establish residency by the second week of February in order to receive the “Welcome to Lynbrook” packet. For additional information is available on the please visit the Residency Verification page of Fremont Union School District website.

I am coming from a private school and/or from out-of-the-state or country. What do I need to know and do?

A couple of things:

There are no entrance tests or tuition fees. Our school provides text books at no cost to students unless students lose or damage the books.

You cannot meet with our staff, Guidance Counselors, Assistant Principals, etc. until you have establish residency and you are enrolled at Lynbrook.

If you are an incoming eighth grade student from our feeder middle schools, you enroll and establish residency at Lynbrook before February 1st, you will receive a “Welcome to Lynbrook” packet. This packet will include an invitation to the 8th Grade Course Night.

For all other students, once you enroll at Lynbrook and establish residency, we will meet with you and your student to help your student choose classes and create a schedule.

We are not available in late June or July. We do not respond to e-mail or phone inquiries except to direct you to this list of Frequently Asked Questions.

You will find many answers to your questions here and even more information on our website at www.lhs.fuhsd.org which we encourage you to explore thoroughly.

While we make every effort to keep space available in all classes for students who enroll in LHS during August, it is possible that if you enroll closer to the start of the school year, those spaces will not be available.

We do not have the personnel available to offer campus tours nor can we accommodate prospective students to spend a day on campus attending classes, etc. If you are a student who already lives in the LHS attendance area but attend a private school or you live locally and are moving into the LHS attendance area, we happily encourage you to attend an LHS performance or sporting event as a way of getting a 'feel' of the campus and our student body. Further, you are welcome to arrive on campus after 3:00 pm to walk around for a self-guided tour. If you are out of the country and planning a trip to the San Jose area, we encourage you to do the same. Our calendar of events can be found on our website at www.lhs.fuhsd.org

In deciding grade placement for a student, the student’s age and previous course work will be considered. Every effort will be made to place a student in the class that is closely related to a student's chronological age based on their official verified birth records.

As an incoming 9th grader, can I take a summer class?

Beginning in August 2016, Lynbrook High School will no longer give course credit for any courses taken outside of an educational institution in the summer between the 8th and 9th grade year. However, to be eligible to apply to the UC school system, you must complete a Geometry course taken in either middle school, in an accredited summer program in a traditional school setting or online, or a Geometry course taken in high school. We highly recommend the course be taken in middle school or high school, not in the summer.

A summer Geometry or Algebra I course will not be recorded on your transcript for a grade or credit. Rather, the official transcript/report card you submit to the LHS Registrar upon completion of the course, will be kept as verification for the UCs.

As a current 9th, 10th or 11th grader, can I take a summer class?

Parents often ask if their student can take a class during the summer to count for high school credit. Here are some things to keep in mind:

If you are seeking credit for a summer class, you must download and fill out the Request for Credit from an Outside Educational Institution. This form, along with all required documentation, must be submitted to the Lynbrook High School main office. We will notify you within one week from the day you submit the form, via e-mail, whether you are approved or not. Approval is not automatic. We strongly suggest that you do not pay summer school registration fees until you hear back from us.

The outside educational institution must be accredited. It would also be wise to make sure the UC school system approve of the class which you can do this by going to

Since we do not recommend summer classes nor particular summer schools or online programs, you will have to do this research on your own.

FUHSD allows students to earn a maximum of 70 credits per year. All classes at LHS are year-long and if successfully completed, have a value of 10 credits per class. If your student takes a summer class to earn FUHSD credit and have the class recorded onto their FUHSD transcript, the class will count in the upcoming school year to their total credits earned.

If you received approval to take a class for credit, you must submit your student's official transcript before it will be recorded on their FUHSD transcript. Submit your transcript to the LHS Registrar as early in August as possible.

Many students attend summer programs in math, science etc. These can be dynamic, enriching learning experiences. However, unless they are accredited high school academic programs, with pre-approval from us, via the Request for Credit from an Outside Educational Institution., they cannot be used in the place of required classes or to skip levels of classes.

Can I take a high school level class in 7th or 8th grade and receive course credit at Lynbrook?

No, you cannot begin earning high school credit until you are a high school student. To be clear: Any online course (Johns Hopkins CTY, EPGY, etc.) or class from an accredited summer high school program (Mitty, St. Francis, etc.) taken any time before you graduate from 8th grade, cannot be counted for high school credit. For courses taken between the summer of your 8th and 9th grade year, see above “can I take a summer class?”.

How do I select a math course?

Beginning in the 2016-2017 school year, Lynbrook eliminated offering a Math Challenge test for higher level math classes. If a student wants to skip Alg. II/Trig and/or Pre-Calculus Honors during course selection in February and March the student simply chooses the math course they want even if it is out of sequence. Algebra I and Geometry can never be skipped, they are required to graduate high school and to apply to college. These courses can be taken either in middle school, an approved* summer school program or high school.

* Neither the Math Department nor the Guidance Counseling Department recommends that any student skip any math class. All staff strongly encourage ALL students to follow the math sequence.

Consider this:

Listen to and take your math teacher’s recommendations seriously!

While students can show strong performance in foundational courses such as Alg. I and Geometry earning an ‘A’, if they begin to skip levels of math, deficits and ‘holes’ in their math foundation often show in the higher level math classes. By then, it is too late.

If a student chooses to skip a math level because he/she is planning to self-study or take a course during the summer and does not, or if the student struggles once the course begins, it is extremely unlikely that the student will be able to choose a different math course.

If a student struggles, he/she can drop a math class. However, depending on what a student wants to study in college, many colleges require four years of math.

Students in a deficit situation can often spend multiple hours doing homework just to keep up. They can feel discouraged and never fully recover from the holes in their mathematical foundation.

Skipping levels of math, while also taking one or more honors or AP classes, puts undue pressure on students.

A student who takes Geometry in 9th grade could take AP Calculus in the senior year without skipping a single course in the math sequence! Great foundation. Happy kids!

How do I get placed into a World Language class at Lynbrook?

Lynbrook is pleased to offer French, Japanese and Spanish levels I-V. Level IV of all languages is considered Honors and level V is Advanced Placement. AP Level credit is not offered to freshmen who place into AP Chinese based on their Chinese Placement Exam score.

One year of successful completion of a language in middle school has prepared a student for level I in high school.

Two years of successful completion of one of the above languages taken in middle school has prepared a student to take level II of the language in high school.

We do not have challenge/placement tests for skipping or placing out of language levels.

While most colleges require at least two levels of the same world language, with some colleges preferring three, a world language is not a high school graduation requirement. Highly selective colleges prefer students advance to the highest levels possible in a world language.

Information regarding Chinese Placement Exam:

ALL students, who have taken Chinese for two years in middle school and/or listen to or speak Chinese at home, must take the Chinese Placement Exam. It is simply a diagnostic exam in order to place students into the proper level of Chinese.

What does a course of study look like for most students?

This represents what LHS students typically take year to year. However, read the Course Selection Guide carefully. Some subjects listed in the table below are required, some are not.

9th Grade

10th Grade

11th Grade

12th Grade

Lit./Writing

World Lit./Writing

English

English

Biology

Chemistry

Science

Science

Math

Math

Math

Math

World Language

World Language

World Language

World Language

Elective

World History

U.S. History

US Gov./Economics

PE

PE

Elective

Elective

As mentioned, FUHSD guarantees each student six classes IF a student chooses six classes. Students are welcome to request a 7th class, but this class is not guaranteed. All classes required for graduation must be in a student's first six choices.

As a 9th Grader, can participation on a LHS athletic team exempt me from PE or earn PE credit?

No, PE for 9th grade is a state requirement. No 9th grade student can be exempt from PE. Students in 9th grade are strongly encouraged to go out for an LHS athletic team, and, depending on how many classes he/she is taking (six or less), a student could earn five elective credits for each successfully completed season of a LHS athletic team. However, in the 9th grade year no PE credit can be earned by being on a LHS athletic team.

Can I take two classes in the same subject in one year? For example: Can I choose two science classes or two world language classes?

Yes & no. The district policy is that you cannot 'double-up' in anyone subject area in your first six classes. In your first six choices, you cannot choose two Science classes or two World Language classes, etc. However, you can choose a second Science or World Language class as a 7th class choice, which, as stated above, is not guaranteed. Due to space limitation related to limited school funding, we rarely have space available for a student to take two of any subject area in any one year. You are more likely to get a 7th class if you are not choosing two classes in the same subject area. Again, a 7th class is not guaranteed.

I want to play a musical instrument in high school. What do I need to know?

Are you a beginner? In order to participate in instrumental music at LHS, you must have been playing the same instrument consistently for two years. We do not offer a beginning instrument program.

Are you interested in Marching Band & Concert Band? To be in Concert Band in 9th grade, you must also be in Marching Band. You cannot just be in Concert Band. Concert Band is taught during the school day and Marching Band practice is after school. A student can earn elective credit for participating in Marching Band.

Are you interested in Orchestra? You must have played the instrument for 3 years.

Are you new to LHS but not an incoming 9th grader? As above, you will need to have consistently played the same instrument for 2 and 3 years. If you are interested in one of the ensemble groups: Symphonic Band, Wind Ensemble or Chamber Orchestra, you will need to audition.

I am an 8th grader, can I meet with an LHS Guidance Counselor?

The Guidance Counselors will be happy to meet with you or your student after he/she begins the first day of high school. All questions related to course planning for sophomore year, the college process, etc. will happily be answered once your student has arrived at LHS. In the meantime, we are offering this list, though not exhaustive, of Frequently Asked Questions.